Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Sunday hit back at Narendra Modi for comparing him to a stuck gramophone, posting a video of the prime minister in which he is seen and heard making repeated references to members of the Gandhi family in a medley of his speeches.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Sunday appealed to the Centre not to lease out the Thiruvananthapuram airport under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode and requested it to entrust the aerodrome's management with the state government.

Senior RSS leader Suresh 'Bhaiyyaji' Joshi on Sunday made a veiled attack on the BJP for not fulfilling its promise of constructing a Ram Temple in Ayodhya and demanded that the Union government enact a legislation, if need be, for it.

Kerala has become the first state in the country to have four international airports with the inauguration of the Kannur airport on Sunday.

A former aide of a Maharashtra minister and a policeman were among those arrested in connection with the murder of a diamond trader, who was found dead in a forest in Maharashtra's Raigad district two days ago, the police said. A popular television actress and model has also been detained in the case.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday wished Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on her birthday. "Best wishes to Smt. Sonia Gandhi Ji on her birthday. I pray for her long and healthy life," Modi tweeted.

Security forces killed three militants Sunday on the outskirts of Srinagar the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir during an encounter, the Army said.

More than 225 terrorists have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir so far this year, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said on Saturday.